So the team is starting work on the next major expansion pack. But we also want to keep an eye on the base game.

Right now, the recent Steam reviews for GalCiv are pretty awful with most of the people reviewing it doing so because they don't like some of the changes in v2.5. So if there are changes you would like in 2.7 and beyond, this would be the place to ask.

The Steam review system is something I have and will continue to complain about because frankly, it absolutely destroys games. When it's less than 70, a game might as well not exist. So I'll be explicit, if you want us to keep working on GalCiv III, please leave a Steam review. If not, don't. If you already have, thank you!

As many of you know, I am AI biased. But I know I'm in a minority because there is another space strategy game outselling GalCiv III and, suffice to say, AI is not its focus.

It is clear that narratives in games matter. GalCiv has a quest system ala Fallen Enchantress/Sorcerer King. But we have tried to avoid doing that because we don't want the game to be a series of scripted narratives. We don't plan to change that position in the base game but we are looking at releasing DLC that will do that if players want it.

Now, the next major expansion pack focuses on politics and government. So we'll set all that aside for now. Otherwise, it's all open. What would you like to see?

I would like to have the possibility to say as an galactic imperator what happens with the resources and money of my Empire. It dont have to be the wheel but only citizen to have influence to that its perhaps simple but not good i think.

Most of the problems I have are moddable or else I can live with them. One thing I would like is the ability to update ship designs without scrapping 20 turns of build progress in the shipyard.

Many of the poor reviews you receive on Steam are coming from people who fire up the campaign and have their survey ship eat 1 thulium per turn, try to construct a starbase and get the not enough administrators message even though they haven't built a starbase yet, etc. Even though we own Crusades, we don't see the Crusades mechanics when playing the campaign, just a neglected old-and-inferior system.

Oh yeah, and the campaigns appear in a poor order. I've played through 2 campaigns of 3 missions, complex missions with tons of tech. Now starting the third campaign in the list, I am finally on the mission that should be mission 1, starting with no tech and fighting a space monster and later a single outlaw faction.

I'm not sure how much better the rebalancing is ever going to get, to be quite honest. We might be spinning our wheels in circles. However, new campaigns using the Crusade rules would be a clear value-add. Plus I think management would be comfortable delegating the creation of new campaigns to other people. The campaign EDITOR, maybe not so much, but the campaigns, probably.

4. Repurchase merc ships when destroyed for higher rate, may be upgraded some as well from base model. Therefore keeping it interesting longer into the game. Right now Bazaar is useless one war starts.

5. New terraforming option... add extra land for x durantium, (or another resource). Increases double amount per time used so next time it would be x*2 durantium, then x*4, x*8 ect... Again gives option to upgrade planet beyond what it is now.

6. Expanding Galaxies... This may be a good DLC.... Start game on tiny map with 2-4 players, player wins, well it would be nice if this could continue. Game gives option to continue same game in larger map. This then generates new small map (or 4x tiny map size) with the original map taking up 1/4 of the new map, 3 new factions advanced and expanded enough to make the game appear as already in progress to match your progress. Then if player wins this they get another option of the same all the way until the max map size.

7. Ability to transform dead world into useful planet either as low class planet, or resource for an expensive cost/resources.

8. Binary star systems. (originally planned per Paul)

9. Mega black hole. (originally planned per Paul)

10. Rift. (originally planned per Paul but, then pulled back per difficulties/time restraints)

11. Fixes to color scheme of planetary tile bonus's to match color of type boosting, such as orange for manufacturing, dark blue for research, ect....

12. For custom factions, ability to design home star system with/out modding.

13. Copy/Paste option for custom factions screens so one can easily copy/paste their story/description for re-doing factions.

Fix the default ship population. At 2.5 the AI is tossing half it's raw production into space with it's 1st colony ship. At base growth rates it will take the homeworld 25 turns to recover while the colony founded by the ship maxes it's raw production in 5 turns. This must be terribly crippling to the AI's early game.

I don't like the old or the new population to production schemes. I mod it to 0.92 and it feels right. (2 cents here)

Agree on all of these. The Bazaar is a neat idea; but it could do more.

I'd suggest....

1: If a Merc is destroyed or retired then a new random one takes its place in the bazaar.

2: Tier 1 mercs should be upgradable to tier 2 once you get there and tier 1 and 2 should be upgradable to tier 3 once you get there. I think it would be easier to just do it the same way you would upgrade an asteroid mining base from the map screen.

- Rework ground invasion. The current system is a step in the right direction, but stuck halfway (or rather, a tenth of the way) there. I wrote a ground invasion simulation some months ago that I posted here with how I imagine the current system could be enhanced, but not very many people were interested at that time, or at least didn't bother to comment on my proposal. Anyway, there is much room to improve in that area

I have to agree. In GC2, ground invasion was much more exciting. In GC3, there's no suspense. You bring up the screen and know whether you're going to succeed or not.

lyssailcor, please provide a link to your old post. I'd like to see your suggestions.

1. Perhaps it's just me, but I very often (read almost always) get the feeling that I am Team 1 and the AI, all of them, is Team 2 - regardless of AI personality and how strong, advanced, or extensive my empire is. That is fine for small deathmatch maps, but for bigger maps with more civs, this doesn't feel like an immersive galaxy.

2. It's been said above and in many other threads, but if there is a way to make colonization and starbase construction within another empire's influence only possible when at war, I would be happy.

4. Have a look at the abundance settings for planets and how they interact with eachother. Can't put my finger on it, but something seems to be 'off' there. Abundant all setting has very often left me with the worst luck ever - one colonizable in intitial range, for example.

Since I made this post recently and it seems relevant I might as well post the link here. Its mostly adds to the UP and adds 'Story' like events in game without become something to crazy which seems to be the direction your wanting Gal Civ 3 to be in.

It is clear that narratives in games matter. GalCiv has a quest system ala Fallen Enchantress/Sorcerer King. But we have tried to avoid doing that because we don't want the game to be a series of scripted narratives. We don't plan to change that position in the base game but we are looking at releasing DLC that will do that if players want it.

Would it be a smart idea to make Stories as Steam Work shop items? That would always keep it fresh! Repetitive events is a common issue with adding story events in games and taking advantage of the moding community and ease of use of the work shop seems like a win win.

I would almost suggest making Story Events not a DLC but a free addition in the new expansion. You can keep the list of events you make relativity small so as to not go against the direction you want the game to go. But since you give them just a taste, at the same time by adding the option to download more from the Steam workshop you give everyone the option to add more if they want a more story experience. Likewise if it goes well you could always later expand on these events with a DLC, getting the best of both worlds.

4. Have a look at the abundance settings for planets and how they interact with eachother. Can't put my finger on it, but something seems to be 'off' there. Abundant all setting has very often left me with the worst luck ever - one colonizable in intitial range, for example

Yeah, once you start putting more than one abundant setting it seems to start taking away from everything else, personally I've never liked the abundant settings on the largest maps, Large and below seem fine.

Right now, the recent Steam reviews for GalCiv are pretty awful with most of the people reviewing it doing so because they don't like some of the changes in v2.5.

I just read through recent reviews and wow the level of totally moronic comments in most of the negative reviews is rather high. There is always a small but vocal minority that just don't like change, and don't give the game the time to see they are almost always for the better, so seems hard to avoid, and totally ignores the fact that most existing players recognise the effort and improvements.